Wood Shop Still on Chopping Block
The Barrington School Committee is asking the administration to assess all programs for possible allocation of the $144,000 put back into the school budget by voters at Wednesday night's Financial Town Meeting.
Wood shop at the Barrington Middle School remains in jeopardy.
The School Committee on Thursday night lumped wood shop in with all other school programs and requests that will be reassessed by the administration over the next few weeks.
“Which program could be sacrificed for that $150,000?” asked School Committee member Chris Ramsden.
The cash that voters put back into next year’s school budget to try to save wood shop was actually $144,000. But it could be spent elsewhere as several members of the Committee on Appropriations said at the Financial Town Meeting on Wednesday night is the School Committee’s prerogative.
The School Committee also faces an almost $127,000 shortfall in revenue because it shelved the proposed out-of-district tuition program on Thursday night at the same meeting. See the separate story on the tuition-in program.
“I want the central administration to go back and reassess programs, especially those that appear to have the least value right now,” said Ramsden, programs that have low enrollments or weak student interest.
It’s a request Ramsden has made before. The School Committee jumped on his bandwagon Thursday night.
“It’s important that we have options on the table,” said School Committee member Robert Shea.
School Committee Chairman Patrick Guida described those options as “alternatives” for the use of that money.
“I would also like to look at the possibility of shared resources so we don’t have to cut any program,” said School Committee member Kate Brody.
“We’ll work on some options next week,” said Superintendent Robert McIntyre.
McIntyre also answered a question from Ken Jackson, who supported wood shop at the town meeting with a vote and a $100 donation.
“Yes, the options could mean the elimination of wood shop or some other program,” he said.
McIntyre said he will have the options and alternatives ready by no later than a special Tuesday night meeting on June 19.
Manifold Witness
7:36 am on Friday, May 25, 2012
And… um… also… the dog ate their homework.
Options on the table? Back to the drawing board? AFTER the FTM?!
So, now, they are going to try to do a sleight of hand with the money & pray (ACLU! ACLU!) that the taxpayers don’t notice.
Townie
8:52 am on Friday, May 25, 2012
The money will be used to make up for the make believe funds that was included in the budget expected from the now shelved out-of-district plan.
Larson Gunness
9:04 am on Friday, May 25, 2012
What? Are you kidding me? Did they not hear what voters said to them at the FTM? This was voted on (twice) not as a slush fund for the school committee to play around with, but to be put toward the wood shop. In my view it would be an arrogant and intentional breach of trust for them to use this money for anything other than that purpose.
Gary Morse
11:24 am on Friday, May 25, 2012
Larson,
Saying 68 people represent the "voters" might be a stretch.
I'm in agreement that woodshop is important. However, what I believe the voters want is better stewardship over "pay vs programs".
It is unfortunate that many of the same people who are protesting cuts, are the same people who routinely vote to raise teacher salaries at contract time.
You can't have the best paid teachers in the state, plus lots of programs.
Joel Hellmann
9:11 am on Friday, May 25, 2012
This would be a mistake. The voters voted. There are many classes at the high school that have very low enrollment that serve the very elite gifted, Programs that at the superintendent seach Mrs. Ramsden advocated for.and after the vote they want to cut a program that 70% of middle schoolers use? I guess i will be spending time gathering information about class size at the high school where the money goes and doing a lot of writing.
Scott Clark
9:40 am on Friday, May 25, 2012
Excellent. Makes for another easy rally cry for people to show up on June 19th,
As I said previously, it's too easy for the town to take extra money for one reason but push it somewhere else behind the scenes. My own mental support for saving this programs was predicated on the notion that any such issue should be resolved through grants and trust funds, NOT flat taxes on the town. I'll take it when it's 3 lattes a year, BUT as long as we dictate how it's spent.
They can state what their intention is all they want. But cat's out of the bag now and we're not going to just fade back into the woodwork :)
Dluvnpeace
10:26 am on Friday, May 25, 2012
It is of the utmost importance for everyone to attend School Committee meetings either in person or watch them online. While the FTM voted to up the school budget with $144,000 to save the Industrial Arts program and effectually the Robotics program the School Committee is in no way legally obligated to use the $144,000 for that purpose. This town votes on a bottom line budget for our Schools. The School Committee has sole discretion on how those funds are used. Keep an eye on this process and remember the outcome at election time.
Concerned
9:50 am on Saturday, May 26, 2012
Now that the voters at FTM increased the budget and sent a clear, albeit, non-binding message, the SC & Admin rely on their misguided belief that they know what is best for us.
If that were the case:
They would've had a plan ready to speak to questions that naturally arose about the tuition-in program.
They would have informed the public of the fire code issue in the woodshop.
They would HAVE a strategic plan, rather than just talking about the need for one. They would recognize the benefits of woodshop AND stand up for them rather than worrying about our standing in surveys.
Take note that all SC & Administration (except non-resident McIntyre) stood against the woodshop proposal. They could have abstained. They made their positions clear. (Incoming Supt. stood againt it as well.) Some members of COA did vote in favor, so it's not as though individuals can't change their minds after hearing residents speak out on an issue.
Even when confronted with their own stats that 70% of students take woodshop, SC & Admin still ignore the needs and desires of students and citizens and now call for a "reassessment" of programs with low value (low enrollment or student interest)! What have they BEEN doing??? A logical person would assume this had been done when deciding to eliminate wood shop. They messed up royally on handling of tuition-in and now want to save their hides by continuing down the path of destroying industrial arts at BMS.
For shame.